Wrapping up and Jumping In

Although I haven’t been great with this blogging business, I figured I should at least finish it off.

Peace Corps is ending; both my time as a Volunteer and the program that operates here. It doesn’t feel real yet even though I’ve already bid farewell to my closest friends, counterparts and other Volunteers.

I have mixed feelings about the end. I am happy for my fellow Volunteers who are now at home with their families, pursuing things that have been unavailable to them in their time here and reflecting on the impact that Peace Corps has left on their lives. Then I think about my students, my counterparts and my community. It makes me sad to think another American won’t have the chance to know them, to learn from them, to grown to love them.

Some of you already know this and know how it came about but I am NOT coming home as previously scheduled. Instead, I am staying. I wanted more time here and an opportunity to make that happen arose so I jumped on it. I’m now a kindergarten teacher at the international school in Ashgabat. Teaching kindergarten has already proved to be a new kind of challenge but I hope that all the obstacles I overcame in the past two years has prepared me for a gluey, snotty and paint filled year.

I don’t know what my readjustment will be like and how difficult this transition will be – so far it has been stressful but I try to remain optimistic. Mostly, I am trying to remind myself of the peace I have found over the past two years here. What I loved most about my life here was that feeling of being content – one I never really knew before. So, even though I now have running water, a personal driver and internet everyday my hope is to remain peaceful. Not sure how I am going to do that quite yet but that’s the plan.

Thank you all for your support and I look forward to our reunions sometime in the future.